Tuesday, March 28, 2006

I'm still here!

I know, I know, I've been pretty sparse on my posts lately. I've got all these furtive little projects going on, and Owen is napping less and less. Things will get better, though. I just ordered myself a new laptop, so I'll be able to compute from the dining room table instead of the office. The office is, sadly, unbabyproofable. I've tried, but apart from chopping Owen's arms and legs off, I haven't discovered anything that will keep him from crawling around under the desk amongst all of the cords. He's turning into the kind of kid who prefers to do anything he knows he's not supposed to. And he likes to give you a big ****-eating grin while he's doing it. I guess I'll forgive him, since he has started walking in earnest this week. It's so funny how he does it - he's totally off balance, so he'll shuffle-step forwards with his arms up by his head (he looks like a little ET) until gravity gets the better of him and he falls on his hands and knees. The whole time, he's laughing like a maniac because he's so proud of himself. It's very cute.

Yesterday, I was sitting on the couch working on the Mag Knits design, enjoying some relative peace and quiet. Sydney comes running in to tell me that "Owen got someting he's not 'posed to." I followed her to the kitchen to find this:

I tried to act stern, but how could I? He was so pleased with himself. Note to mommy: Owen is now old enough to grab bowls full of Annie's Arthur pasta (i.e. glorified Spaghetti-Os) off edge of kitchen table. Must remember to clear 6" safe perimeter before leaving him alone in room.

I've discovered another wonderful reality television show. No, really! It's "Number One Single" on E! and it follows Lisa Loeb (remember her?) on her quest to find a man to settle down with and have lots and lots of babies. I've watched three episodes and decided that I want to marry her. Which ties in nicely to the other show we've started watching, which is HBO's Big Love (about a polygamist family). I was thinking perhaps Bill and I should convert ourselves to fundamentalist Mormons (not to be confused with LDS Mormons, who don't believe in polygamy) and go ask Lisa if she'll marry us. I decided not to bring it up after watching last week's Big Love episode, during which Bill muttered under his breath "Who in the heck would want three wives? One is plenty." Although he might change his tune for Lisa Loeb... Anyway, she prefers men, and so do I. Since I'm not going to leave Bill for her or change my religion, I guess I'll have to settle for buying her new album and nurturing my non-sexual little girl-crush from afar. Even if you don't think Lisa is cute as a bug's ear, you might be happy to know that she actually had knitting content on the most recent episode. She and her sister meet up with Vicki Howell (of Knitty Gritty fame) to knit at a New York LYS. Woot!

Now that I've got that out of my system (whatever THAT was), on to the sock updates!

Helga knit up some baby socks, modeled in the most adorable pose by the most adorable baby!

This is as good a place as any to talk about the baby-sock-brownie-point controversy. Yes, I know that baby socks take a couple hours to make and adult-sized socks take much longer. And they probably should be separated out. I have considered it, believe me! However, I just don't have the time to make things any more complicated than they already are. If I separate out baby socks, then where do the toddler socks fit in? And then I'll feel like footies shouldn't get as much credit as regular socks. And what about the gigantic knee-socks that Erica made for her husband? Or the over-the-knee socks that Julie made in February? Should they get double credit? I just can't make it that complicated. But see? I have thought about it!

You should also know that the brownie point prize isn't some big thing. It will be similar to the monthly drawing prize. So unless you're super competitive and just want to win for the sake of winning, you shouldn't be too concerned with the brownie points. No matter how many brownie points you get, you'll still only get entered in the *BIG* prize drawing once for each month you knit socks in.

Ragan, whose old blog was eaten last night (eeek!) has a few socks to show us and a couple brownie points earned.

And last but not least, Susan gets and M for a yummy pair of Jaywalkers.

That's all the socks for now! I got a little goodie bag in the mail today containing my yarn samples for the Tigard Knitting Guild Shop Hop, which is a day-long yarn crawl happening at the end of April. Here is the front view:

And here is the back!

Can't wait to make some teeny tiny little swatches with these to see how they knit up. I also got a reveal e-mail from my awesome SP7 - Michelle! Thanks again for being such a fun secret pal.

Remember to get your March updates in by Friday at midnight. You only need to worry about it if you're trying to get your M. Brownie points don't have a deadline since they're cumulative across the entire knit-along. Also, just to clarify, you don't need to sign up again if you're already signed up. The 20th of the month rule is for getting your letter for that month. So if you sign up on the 23rd of March, you won't be able to get an M. But you will be signed up for the rest of the knit-along.

Finally, here is the pic of the March prize, generously donated by Quikeye.

So funny...I thought the whole wee socks would become an issue. I'm glad you mentioned what you mentioned.I always love babies the most when you can put them somewhere and they don't move.That stage doesn't last long enough if you ask me.

hey, i thought i was donating the sock yarn for March and you said to just hold it until the winner was determined so i could mail it? wildfoote sock yarn in the "sweet" colorway ring a bell? hmmm...i know you've been busy with your knitting biz and the kiddies, so it's no big deal. i AM donating sock yarn, though; i've still got the brown/pink koigu for your grand prize at the end...and maybe even some other stuff i've acquired. i just hadn't gotten around to mailing them to you yet. i figured it wasn't that urgent because there was time between when i talked to you and when the prizes were actually needed.

So I have three children. The older ones (8 & 10) used to have TONS of those suits you have Owen in in this pic. However, for my 3 month old I can find NONE at any store I look at in Portland. Please tell me you bought that somewhere recently!!!???

Hey, little Owen, the walking guy! He has the perfect face for the ****-eating grin. I just told Kevin about the Lisa Loeb show. He's very intrigued. I think he has a thing for her because he used to always watch the show she did with Dweezil Zappa. Whatever happened to them?

Congratulations Owen on all that wonderful walking! Now he can really get into all those places where mom may not want him! :)Also those yarn samples for the Tigard Knitting Guild Shop Hop look really neat! That will make a great little yarn swatch book (like on Knitty Gritty). :)

About Me

Welcome to the wild & wooly world of knitwear designer Chrissy Gardiner. I'm a mom of two who spends as much time as possible knitting and designing knitting patterns. I have been published in various books and magazines as well as printing my own pattern line, Gardiner Yarn Works. I published my first book, Toe-Up!, in the summer of 2009. It's about socks, of course!